Meltdowns are rarely about manipulation. They are usually a child’s nervous system overwhelmed by emotion they don’t yet know how to regulate.
In those moments, children don’t need correction first – they need co-regulation.
This might look like:
- Staying physically close
- Keeping your tone calm
- Naming the emotion: “You’re really frustrated right now.”
- Holding the boundary gently but firmly
Children borrow our nervous systems until they can build their own.